I have heard all sides of this Escobar/Gonzalez trade deal.  Most sports reporters see it as a good trade.  A lot of fans see it as a bad one.  I’m going to come down in a totally different place.  Trading Yunel is exactly the same as if you were trading Andruw Jones and here’s why.

Escobar started off hot for the Braves, so did Jones.  The team and fans thought he was the next best thing.  The offensive catalyst.  The player who could develop into a game changer for years to come.  But wait, what’s that, he didn’t.  He has consistently gotten less productive at the plate and in the field he worries more about his own errors than a team win or loss.  And let’s just state for the record, I’ve seen several games this year where an error or errors by Escobar contributed directly to the Braves losing a ball game.  He didn’t have the at the plate production to make up for his sometimes little leaguer mistakes in the field.

Yunel like Andruw is a stewer.  He messes up and then for the rest of the game that’s ALL he has on his mind.  Not whether the Braves are winning or losing.  Not whether he needs to get a hit the next at bat.  Not whether he can field the next ball cleanly.  His mind is totally focused on the mistake.  He’s not a fit in guy either.  Always seems to be on the outside.  Players want other players who are about the team.  It is why players like Chipper and the rookie Heyward do so well.  They know what’s important.

Gonzalez on the other hand has 17 homers this year.  He is not a little league error maker.  He knows what’s important.  He is older but that is to his advantage in this case.  Even if he is a short termer, I believe he can give the Braves both the pop at the plate and the glove in the field that they need to go to and win the Series this year.  So all you Yunel whiners stop it and take a moment to remember Andruw Jones.  This trade is a good thing – a very good thing.